Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban Review
by Harvey S. Karten (harveycritic AT cs DOT com)June 2nd, 2004
HARRY POTTER AND THE PRISONER OF AZKABAN
Reviewed by Harvey S. Karten
Warner Bros
Grade: B
Directed by: Alfonso Cuaron
Written by: Steven Kloves, novel by J.K. Rowling
Cast: Daniel Radcliffe, Richard Griffiths, Pam Ferris, Fiona Shaw, Harry Melling, Adrian Rawlins, Geraldine Somerville, Lee Ingleby, Lenny Henry, Jimmy Gardner, Gary Oldman, Jim Tavare, Robert Hardy, Abby Ford, Rupert Grint
Screened at: IMAX, NYC, 6/1/04
You'd not think that a PG rating would be awarded for a work of a director like Alfonso Cuaron, whose "Y Tu Mama Tambien" deals with two oversexed Mexican teens who go on a joyride with an older woman married to one of their cousins. But that road movie, minus the graphic sex, shares its theme of teens who are quickly growing up. As for the titled Harry Potter (Daniel Radcliffe) in the third of the "Potter" series, he's thirteen and, like the kids in "Y Tu Mama" is learning to deal with his fears and to become more self-assured, all of which is accomplished in part by his learning more about the death of his parents.
"Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban" opens with the movie's most humorous scene, as the rebellious Harry, dumped on by his obnoxious, adoptive aunt Marge Dursley (Pam Ferris), gets revenge by violating his pledge not to perform wizardly while under their roof. To the amazement of his uncle and not the least of his aunt, Harry turns Marge into an even more inflated version of wicked stepmother simply by casting his eye on her until she puffs up to the point of exploding and casts off into outer space.
When Harry returns to the school, he hears that Sirius Black (Gary Oldman), who may or may not have been responsible in part for the death of Harry's parents, has escaped from the Azkaban prison and is on his way to the school.
Scripted once again by Steve Kloves–who emphasizes shades of gray in his characters while making the story cinematically alive, "Harry Potter 3" is replete with characters who are neither villains nor saints, giving the kids in the audience something to chew on when they talk about their own teachers. For example, the hippogriff (part horse, part eagle) looks at first like a menacing creature but gives Harry the ride of his life while Alan Rickman in the role of Professor Snape is found to be other than the good guy popular with Harry's best friend, the often sour-faced Ron Weasley (Rupert Grint). Characters from the previous two installments turn in their assured performances: Robbie Coltraine as the lovable Rubeus Hagrid and Michael Gambon, who stands in for the late Richard Harris, as Albus Dumbledore.
Despite fears that this installment with its cloudy skies and talk of death might be too scary for the younger folks in the audience, at an advance screening the seven-year-olds watching one of the world's largest screens at Loews Lincoln Square IMAX theater buzz with comments like "I didn't know that [so and so] was a werewolf." Adults in the peanut gallery might think of this "Potter" as just more of the same, but you can bet that their little ones will be watching the pic five, ten, twenty times while getting ready for an inevitable installment to come.
Rated PG. 141 minutes. Copyright 2004 by Harvey Karten at [email protected]
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